Rabbi Rosove: Two-State Solution Only Road to Peace for Israel, Palestine, GV Wire
“The two-state solution is the only way to guarantee a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but it will take strong leaders who are willing to compromise, a Southern California rabbi said Dec. 9 at Clovis Community College […] Rosove has been active with J Street, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy organization that supports the two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He noted that J Street’s advocacy helped win passage of House Resolution 326 that expresses support for the two-state solution.”
UN: Israel has advanced 22,000 housing units in West Bank, AP
The U.N. Mideast envoy said Wednesday that Israel advanced or approved plans for over 22,000 housing units in West Bank settlements and east Jerusalem in the three years since the Security Council adopted a resolution condemning settlements in lands the Palestinians want for their future state. Nickolay Mladenov told the Security Council that in addition, Israel issued tenders for some 8,000 housing units since the December 2016 resolution, which also declared that the settlements have “no legal validity.” He said the numbers “should be of serious concern to all those who continue to support the establishment of an independent and viable Palestinian state alongside Israel.”
Rocket fired from Gaza toward Israel; air force bombs Hamas arms factory, Times of Israel
The air force bombed a Hamas weapons factory in the Gaza Strip before dawn Thursday after Palestinian terrorists fired a rocket at southern Israel, which was intercepted by the Iron Dome air defense system, the army said.
Iran begins testing much faster centrifuges as nuclear deal further unravels, Times of Israel
Iranian President Hassan Rouhani on Wednesday said his country has begun testing its latest, much faster, model of centrifuges in a further signal the international deal limiting its nuclear program was unraveling.
Israel Said Expelled Hebron Monitors Caused ‘Friction,’ but Provided No Evidence, Haaretz
When Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan recommended not renewing the mandate of the international observer task force that monitored the the divided West Bank town of Hebron, he based his position on an Israel Police report that claimed that employees of the observer force, which was known as the Temporary International Presence in Hebron, or TIPH, of “creating situations showing friction” to justify their pay.
IDF prepares to raze home of terror leader in attack that killed Israeli teen, Times of Israel
The Israel Defense Forces cleared for publication on Wednesday that it had mapped the home of a senior Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine member who is suspected of leading a squad that carried out a terror attack earlier this year at a West Bank spring, killing an Israeli teenager.
‘Arabs? Expel or Kill’: Cars Vandalized, Graffiti Sprayed in West Bank Hate Crime, Haaretz
Some 25 vehicles were vandalized and hateful graffiti was sprayed in a Palestinian village near Jerusalem on Wednesday overnight, Israel Police said Thursday.
Israel cuts power to Palestinian areas of West Bank over debts, Times of Israel
The Israel Electric Corporation has begun periodic power cuts to Palestinian areas of the West Bank over some half a billion dollars in debt owed by a Palestinian electric provider.
Of Course They’re Accusing Bernie Sanders Of Anti-Semitism – Because He Supports Palestinians, The Forward
Peter Beinart writes, “The effort to implicate the most successful Jewish presidential candidate in American history in Jew-hatred is now well underway.”
Is Bernie Sanders anti-Semitic? Why new right-wing smears are the real anti-Semitism, NBC
Noah Berlatsky writes, “The political right has for some time been using charges of anti-Semitism to slander, target and delegitimize left-wing politicians and voters. Support for Palestinian rights, or opposition to any part of maximalist right-wing Israeli government policy can and has been painted as being equivalent to hatred of Jewish people.”
Accusing Bernie Sanders of antisemitism? That’s a new low, The Guardian
Kate Aronoff asks, “The allegations should be called for what they are: politiking in service of politicians who will put more Jews in danger.”
Bennett, the Battle for Judea Has Been Decided, Haaretz
Shaul Arieli asks, “Naftali Bennett’s decision to expand the Jewish enclave in the old city of Hebron – by adding a neighborhood lying on the rooftops of stores in the former and now abandoned Hebron wholesale market – will not change reality, a gloomy one in his eyes. It will only increase the price Israel will have to pay one day for its restoration to sanity.”
Anti-Semitism in the U.S. isn’t usually violent. What if that’s changing?, Washington Post
Laura E. Adkins writes, “The past several years have seen a resurgence of anti-Jewish hate crimes across the United States, primarily acts of vandalism and harassment.”